This invention relates to exercising devices in general and more particularly to a multi-purpose programmable exerciser device.
Various exercising devices have been developed for different purposes. A large number of such devices have as their purpose muscle building. However, there are also devices designed to improve cardio respiratory fitness and devices used for rehabilitation purposes.
Typical of body building devices are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,873 to Jones and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,869,121 and 3,848,467 to Flavell.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,873 describes a weight-lifting exercise device in which the pull on the weight mass is continuously varied over a full range of rotation. The object is to provide a balanced resistance over the full range of motion of the involved body part and muscles. This is what is known as a variable resistance exerciser. Jones obtains his variable resistance using a weight and pulley system coupled to a bar which the user must lift, the bar coupled to the pulley system by means of a spiral. Due to the configuration of the spiral pulley, the tension of the cable which is coupled to the bar is constantly changed as the pulley is rotated between the limiting positions.
Flavell teaches the importance of a progressive resistance exercise, noting the need to increase diffficulty of the exercise from day to day and also noting the need to decrease the resistance as the user becomes tired. He also discloses a concept of variable resistance which incorporates a servo system and has a net effect "that, once the device reaches regulated speed, the harder the user pulls on the cable, the more resistance is afforded the user by the device and the exercise resistance is therefore variable in proportion to the instantaneous capacity of the user." The device includes a display for the user to view during the exercise. The system is programmable in that the user can preselect the desired speed of movement and acceleration and deceleration rates. In the system, the harder the exerciser works, the more force there is applied once he reaches his desired speed. The total amount of work for the given portion and for the total of the exercise are displayed. If the user gets more tired and applies less force, the force in the system which acts against him decreases and he does less work. Based on previous performance, the user sets a goal for himself as to a total amount of work and then by reading a performance dial tries to match or exceed the performance in a series of exercises, keeping less work.
Two other patents which relate to this type of device are U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,592 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,194 which operate in a manner similar to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,869,121 and 3,848,467. U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,194 attempts to maintain a constant velocity. This is done through a mechanical/hydraulic type of system.
Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. DES, 242,732 and DES, 226,439 both of which show the basic kind of exerciser to which the present invention is applicable and both of which utilize hydraulic cylinders of the same kind as used in the present invention.
A type of device utilizing a micro-processor is one sold under the name Dynavit which is adapted to maintain and improve cardiorespiratory fitness. This device, which is a bicycle type exerciser, permits selecting various inputs and monitors not only exercise but pulse rate, giving outputs indicative thereof.
Although each of these exercisers fulfills a certain purpose, all suffer from various disadvantages, the major one being a lack of flexibility. Each is adapted to perform in one and only one fashion. For example, a number of the exercisers described above operate only at constant velocity. Others operate with a constant force. In each case no other type of operation is possible.
Thus, the need exists for an exerciser which is adaptable to whatever type of exercise program is desired, be it constant velocity, constant force, constant acceleration or a program in which these quantities are varied. Furthermore an exerciser which can be adapted to not only body building but also cardiorespiratory training and rehabilitation is needed.